


touch (and kiss) me baby

by CerinityKS



Category: The Martian (2015), The Martian - All Media Types, The Martian - Andy Weir
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Podfic Available, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 21:26:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4802759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CerinityKS/pseuds/CerinityKS
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After coming back from Mars Watney is just a bit touch starved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	touch (and kiss) me baby

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into English available: [[Podfic] Touch (And Kiss) Me Baby](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6370255) by [swagnushammersmith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swagnushammersmith/pseuds/swagnushammersmith)



> this is based on a headcannon I saw on tumblr [here](http://steviebucks.tumblr.com/post/128972905933/mark-being-super-touch-starved-after-his-return). I'll probably end up doing a few different versions of Watney being touch-starved, because he totally would be after coming back from Mars alone after over a year, and this is just attempt one. There are so many ideas that come from Mark being touch-starved, and hopefully this one lives up to the original headcannon.
> 
> also, I hate endings

It was Chris who noticed first, which wasn’t terribly surprising considering he spent the most time with Mark.

He didn’t think Mark even noticed (which _also_ wasn’t very surprising). 

Mark was touch starved. 

Mark had never been very tactile back on earth. He didn’t avoid touch by any stretch of the imagination, but an arm around the shoulder here, a pat on the back there, and the occasional hug where usually the extent of his affection towards his friends. 

Now though, after spending almost a year alone on Mars, the _only_ person on the planet with no one else to interact with – it was almost like he couldn’t get enough of being touched. 

Whenever Chris examined him Mark would lean into his touch, press against him however possible. More than once Chris had caught Mark frowning whenever Chris would pull away, an odd look on his face as his hands twitched, like he was keeping himself from reaching out. 

Of course, Chris almost thought it was just _him_ Mark reacted to like that. It was never something he’d advertised, in fact he’d done his best to keep it quiet, but he’d been sort of hopelessly in love with Mark Watney for years. 

Of course after he’d thought that he’d immediately kicked himself – there was no way _Mark Watney_ was in love with him. He’d already made it clear in that email he thought Chris was into Johanssen. 

So Instead he watched. 

Once Mark was well enough Chris let him interact with the crew more, even allowed him to spend time in the rec room instead of stuck in ( _Chris’s_ ) bed. 

It was a bit more subtle around the crew, but Mark was almost as tactile with them as he’d been so far with Chris. 

Vogel was far from shy about hugs, and whenever he saw Mark he’d pull him into another one, even if he’d just seen him five minutes previously. Mark always melted into the hugs and clung on as long as possible, not that Vogel ever complained. He always just indulged the botanist. 

Martinez would always greet Mark with a clap on the shoulder, not quite as tactile as Vogel, but never shying away from touch with Mark either. If they were side by side Martinez would often sling a companionable arm around Mark’s shoulders and leave it there. 

Beth was more subtle in her affection. She’d greet Mark with a kiss on the cheek, which never failed to make Mark smile, shy and almost disbelieving. Beth’s affection was shown through light pinches to Mark’s side, a hand on Mark’s arm or ruffling his hair, touches that were light and quick, but numerous. 

Melissa was the least tactile of the bunch normally, keeping a professional distance most of the time. Even she had hugged Mark though, and the expression on his face afterward made Chris want to cry. 

Chris didn’t even have to ask if the crew had figured it out. The fact that Melissa had willingly hugged Mark (more than _once_ ) was clue enough that they had. And he was so grateful that they never said anything, that they just _did it_. 

“Chris?” 

Chris blinked and looked down at Mark, who frowned up at him. 

“I think I’m insulted, are you so bored of me already doc?” 

Chris tamped down a blush and instead looked back down at his hands, currently pressed against Mark’s (very naked and oh so warm) chest. 

“I’m pretty sure it’s a physical impossibility to ever get bored of you,” Chris shot back. 

Mark play pouted at him, which turned real the moment Chris removed his hands from his chest. 

“Looks like your ribs are healed up nicely. You’ll still need to take it easy until we get back to Earth and we can get you to a proper hospital for a full work-up though.” 

“Whatever would I do without you doc,” Mark batted his eyelashes. 

“Die,” Chris deadpanned. 

Mark blinked up at him, shocked, and Chris panicked for a second, worried he’d gone too far, before Mark burst into laughter. 

Chris relaxed and placed his hand on Mark’s shoulder. Mark slowly stopped and smiled bashfully up at Chris. 

“Thank you,” Mark suddenly spoke up. Chris frowned. 

“For what?” 

“For just…” Mark visibly struggled for words. Chris just smiled and squeezed his shoulder. 

“You don’t have to thank me, Mark.” 

“But I want to,” Mark insisted. Mark sat up, hands reaching out, and Chris fell into him willingly. Mark clung to him, face buried in Chris’s neck. 

Chris held him close, silently savoring having Mark in his arms. 

“Well, it’s a good thing Johanssen isn’t here,” Mark joked quietly, hands fisted in Chris’s shirt. 

“Why’s that?” Chris asked, bemused. 

“What, and see me cuddling with her boyfriend? I like breathing,” Mark retorted. 

Chris furrowed his brows before he remembered that he’d been a bit _too_ good at hiding his feelings, and that Mark (and most of the crew) thought he liked Beth. 

“Mark,” he pulled back a bit, and Mark made a noise between a groan and a whimper. Chris hurriedly pulled him close again and Mark settled. 

“Mark,” he tried again. “I’m not dating Beth. We’re just friends,” he insisted. 

“But,” he could hear the confusion in Mark’s voice. “You’re in love with her.” 

“Not so much,” Chris laughed. 

“But-” 

“Mark,” he interrupted. He rubbed small circles at the base of Mark’s neck with his thumb, one of his hands sliding over the bare skin of his back to settle just over the swell of his ass. 

“I’m not in love with Johanssen,” he whispered. 

“Oh,” Mark breathed. 

“Yeah,” Chris sighed, self-deprecatingly. 

They stayed as they were, silent and just breathing against each other, reassuring. 

“So this would just be a whole different kind of awkward for Johanssen then,” Mark quipped, suddenly. 

Chris snorted, laughed, and then gripped Mark’s hips as he shook with suppressed laugher. 

“Yes Mark, it would be a different kind of awkward.” 

Chris could tell Mark was grinning, proud. 

“So, not Johanssen,” Mark pressed a kiss against Chris’s neck, so light it was almost nonexistent. 

“Definitely not,” Chris cradled the back of Mark’s head and slowly pulled back. Mark was still grinning when Chris looked him in the eye, and Chris couldn’t resist anymore. 

He leaned in and pressed their lips together tentatively, still not sure he was reading the situation right, and Mark sighed into the kiss. 

“So much better than Mars,” Mark whispered fervently. 

Chris couldn’t help but laugh. 

\- 

“Seriously guys? You couldn’t wait until we were gone?” Martinez complained. 

“Aw shut up Martinez, they’re cute,” Beth grinned. 

“They’re something, but cute ain’t it,” Martinez griped. 

“You’re just jealous,” Mark smirked, content from his place curled up next to Chris. He pressed another line of kisses across the other’s jaw, nipping at, and Chris just shrugged up at Martinez silently. 

Martinez sneered at him, but everyone knew he wasn’t seriously bothered. 

“Is Lewis almost done with those steaks?” Chris asked, trying to divert the topic of conversation. 

“Let me go check!” Martinez volunteered. 

They all laughed him out of the room as he hurried through the house to the backyard where Melissa was grilling. 

They’d been back on earth for a few weeks now and the six of them hung out together as often as possible. Vogel had gone to Germany to visit his family the day before so he was missing, but they’d had drinks together the night before to send him off. 

“Seriously though, I’m glad you guys figured your shit out,” Beth sat back in her chair and took a sip of her drink. 

“That was such a beautiful sentiment Beth, truly, it brings a tear to my eye,” Chris smirked. 

She smirked right back and took another sip as Mark tried his best to bring Chris’s attention back to him. It wasn’t that Mark was a little bit jealous of Beth, but he was a little bit jealous. He knew it was irrational, but he had spent the past few years thinking Chris was in love with her. 

Chris was helpless against the hurricane that was Mark however, and his attention was drawn back to him in no time at all. Beth just grinned as the two of them started kissing lazily, the sight so familiar to the crew of Ares 3 at this point that it didn’t faze them anymore, despite the front Martinez put up. 

Knowing their attention was lost to her now she stood up and went to join Melissa and Martinez outside. Melissa was glaring at the still cold grill, while Martinez remained unhelpful. 

“They making out again?” Melissa grunted, finally doing something that made the grill spring to life. She crowed triumphantly as Martinez clapped. 

“Of course they are,” Beth grabbed the plate of steaks and veggies for Melissa and brought it closer. 

“They’re sickening,” Martinez rolled his eyes. 

“They’re in love,” Melissa shrugged. 

And really, that was all that mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> find this fic (and me) on tumblr [x](http://rinnielove.tumblr.com/post/129120809171/touch-and-kiss-me-baby)


End file.
